Help get my BOY into the VIP Section

I have told you already the stories about the protester at the Autism Speaks Walk last year. I blogged about the butterfly that landed on my Autism Speaks bracelet which surely seemed symbolic to us, at least at the time. I posted pictures of my boy with his smile from ear to ear, and then rubbing his tired aching feet. But I never told you about the VIP Section he wanted to go into but was not allowed to.

I actually find it rather ironic that a walk that is raising money to help bring awareness, to help children with autism feel accepted and included has a VIP section. But they do. I get it really I do. It is a way to identify those folks who took it a step above, who busted their butts to get money and support. But try explaining that to an autistic child that only sees that there is a section that has a bunch of chairs in it that no one is sitting in and well… they want to sit down. Yeah hard huh!

So Jay became fixated on this section. All he kept saying was why didn’t we raise more money so we could go in there? Next year, mom we will get to go in there. We only have to raise $1,000 to do it! Surely we can do that, right? I smiled and said, “Sure baby… we can do anything. You can do anything if you really want to do it!” And then we went home and well honestly I forgot all about it.

I thought Jay forgot about that section too until this week. I should know better really… I mean our kids have memories like elephants! They don’t forget anything! And so my boy started talking again about the VIP section.

“How much money have we raise mama!” “$90 and that is all from us. What we made from the lemonade stand sales and our Bowling Event we had in April baby!” “Mama… We still need $910 more or else I cannot sit in those chairs mama!” I tried to explain that maybe there would not be a special chair section and how hard it is to ask people to give money, because money is scarce these days. “But mama”, he pleaded with those big hazel eyes, oh those eyes that see into my soul and move me to do anything to help him, ” it is for a good cause! Maybe we are not trying hard enough!”

And it is because of those eyes that I write this post. Because I want my boy to know that anything is possible if we try hard. Because I want my boy to know that he can get into any stupid VIP section because he is a VIP!!! Because when I look into those eyes, I need to know that I did whatever I could to try to get him into that section… these are the reasons why I write this and I IMPLORE you to look at my boy’s picture, into his eyes and then reach into your wallet and just donate $1.00, that is all I ask.

Jay came up with a great idea. We got two VIP Tickets in the mail yesterday. When we were in St. Augustine over the summer we took a Ghost tour which scared the heck out of Grace. I wrote a letter telling them that the tour was great, perhaps to great because my girl was petrified! Historic Tours of America was so wonderful that they sent me a letter apologizing, a refund for her ticket and TWO COMPLIMENTARY ADMISSION TICKETS to any of there tours or attractions in Boston, San Diego, Savannah, Washington D.C., St. Augustine, or Key West. ANY OF THEM! These tickets are a $80 value! And my children… my beautiful VIPs decided to GIVE THEM UP and use them as a raffle prize to anyone who donated a dollar to our Autism Speaks team!

So I reach out to my village, my wonderful village who has always been there for me and I ask that you look into my boys eyes, and PLEASE HELP ME GET HIM INTO THAT STUPID VIP SECTION! You can donate by credit card by clicking on the link on the top right sidebar of this page. Or you can print out the information below and mail you $1.00 donation or any amount to Autism Speaks directly. (Just let us know you did that so we can enter you into the contest) We will pick a winner for the tickets on November 1st which is just 2 days before we do the walk! Jay wants to make a banner with everyone’s name on it who donates that we will take with us to the walk so in a way if he gets into the VIP section… so will you!

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Sharon Fuentes is an award winning writer, parenting guru, public speaker, special needs advocate, author of The Don't Freak Out Guide to Parenting Kids with Asperger's and co-Founder/ Editorial Director of ZOOM Autism Magazine. To book Sharon for a speaking engagement, or just say hello... email her at Sharon@sharonfuentes.com